Method for asymmetric synthesis

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a process for asymmetric synthesis in the presence of a chiral catalyst comprising at least one complex of a metal of transition group VIII with ligands capable of dimerization via noncovalent bonds, such catalysts and their use.

The present invention relates to a process for asymmetric synthesis in the presence of a chiral catalyst comprising at least one complex of a metal of transition group VIII with ligands capable of dimerization via noncovalent bonds, such ligands and catalysts and their use.

The term asymmetric synthesis refers to reactions in which a chiral group is generated from a prochiral group such that the stereoisomeric products (enantiomers or diastereomers) are formed in unequal amounts. Asymmetric synthesis has acquired tremendous importance especially in the pharmaceutical industry, since it is frequently the case that only a particular optically active isomer is therapeutically active. There is thus a continuing need for new methods of carrying out asymmetric syntheses and specific catalysts having a high degree of asymmetric induction for particular stereocenters, i.e. the synthesis should lead to the desired isomer in high optical purity and in high chemical yield.

An important class of reactions is addition onto carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom multiple bonds. Addition onto the two adjacent atoms of a C═X double bond (X═C, heteroatom) is also referred to as 1,2-addition. Addition reactions can also be characterized according to the groups added on, with hydroaddition being the addition of a hydrogen atom and carboaddition being the addition of a carbon-comprising fragment. Thus, a 1-hydro-2-carboaddition is the addition of hydrogen and a carbon-comprising group. Important representatives of this reaction are, for example, hydroformylation, hydrocyanation and carbonylation. A further very important addition onto carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom multiple bonds is hydrogenation. There is a need for catalysts for asymmetric addition reactions of prochiral ethylenically unsaturated compounds that have good catalytic activity and high stereoselectivity.

Hydroformylation or the oxo process is an important industrial process and is employed for preparing aldehydes from olefins, carbon monoxide and hydrogen. These aldehydes can, if appropriate, be hydrogenated by means of hydrogen in the same process to give the corresponding oxo alcohols. Asymmetric hydroformylation is an important method for synthesizing chiral aldehydes and is of interest as a route to chiral building blocks for the preparation of flavors, cosmetics, crop protection agents and pharmaceuticals. The hydroformylation-reaction itself is strongly exothermic and generally proceeds under superatmospheric pressure and at elevated temperatures in the presence of catalysts. Catalysts used are Co, Rh, Ir, Ru, Pd or Pt compounds or complexes which may be modified with N—, P—, As— or Sb-comprising ligands to influence the activity and/or selectivity. In the hydroformylation reaction of olefins having more than two carbon atoms, the formation of mixtures of isomeric aldehydes can occur due to the possible addition of CO onto each of the two carbon atoms of a double bond. In addition, double bond isomerization can result in the formation of mixtures of isomeric olefins and possibly also isomeric aldehydes when using olefins having at least four carbon atoms. To achieve efficient asymmetric hydroformylation, the following conditions therefore have to be met:

-   1. high activity of the catalyst, 2. high selectivity in respect of     the desired aldehyde and 3. high stereoselectivity in favor of the     desired isomer.

The use of phosphorus-comprising ligands for stabilizing and/or activating the catalyst metal in rhodium-catalyzed low-pressure hydroformylation is known. Suitable phosphorus-comprising ligands are, for example, phosphines, phosphinites, phosphonites, phosphites, phosphoramidites, phospholes and phosphabenzenes. The most wide-spread ligands at present are triarylphosphines, e.g. triphenylphosphine and sulfonated triphenylphosphine, since these have sufficient stability under the reaction conditions.

It is known that the use of chelating ligands which have two groups capable of coordination has an advantageous effect on the stereoselectivity achieved in asymmetric hydroformylation reactions. Thus, for example, M. M. H. Lambers-Verstappen and J. de Vries describe the rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation of unsaturated nitriles in Adv. Synth. Catal. 2003, 345, No. 4, pp. 478-482, but were able to achieve a satisfactory asymmetric hydroformylation only when using asymmetric BINAPHOS ligands. Furthermore, it is known that the use of chelating ligands also has an advantageous effect on the n-selectivity achieved in hydroformylation (cf. Moulijn, van Leeuwen and van Santen, Catalysis, vol. 79, pp. 199-248, Elsevier 1993). However, a disadvantage of the use of chelating ligands is that complicated syntheses are frequently required for their preparation and/or they are obtained only in poor yields.

In J. Org. Chem. 2000, 65, pp. 6917-6921; M. Akazome et al. describe the synthesis, solid state structure and aggregation behavior of phosphines which bear a 2-pyridone ring. In J. Org. Chem. 1978, 43, pp. 947-949, G. R. Newkome and D. C. Hager describe a process for preparing pyridyidiphenylphosphines. Use as ligands in transition metal catalysts is not described in these documents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,443 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,787 describe processes for the carbonylation of acetylenically unsaturated compounds in the presence of a palladium catalyst. Ligands used are phosphines which bear at least one hetaryl radical, e.g. an optionally substituted pyridyl radical. The use of phosphines which have at least one group capable of forming noncovalent bonds as ligands is not described.

WO 80/01690 describes a rhodium catalyst comprising at least one phosphine ligand in which two aryl groups and, via an alkylene bridge, a heteroatom-comprising radical are bound to the P atom. This heteroatom-comprising radical can be one of a large number of different radicals, with radicals comprising carboxamide groups being mentioned among others. However, this document does not teach the use of ligands having a functional group which is capable of forming intermolecular noncovalent bonds. Thus, the only working example involving ligands comprising carboxamide groups concerns (N-2-pyrrolidinonylethyl)diphenylphosphine, which is not capable of forming intermolecular noncovalent bonds between the amide groups. U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,874 has a disclosure content comparable to WO 80/01690.

The unpublished German patent application P 10313319.4 describes a hydroformylation process which is suitable for the hydroformylation of 1-olefins with high n-selectivity. It uses hydroformylation catalysts based on monophosphorus ligands which are capable of forming intermolecular noncovalent bonds. Such ligands can in principle dimerize via intermolecular noncovalent bonds and thus form pseudochelate complexes.

In J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 6608-6609, B. Breit and W. Seiche describe the dimerization of monodentate ligands via hydrogen bonds to form bidentate donor ligands and their use in hydroformylation catalysts having a high regioselectivity.

None of the abovementioned documents is concerned with chiral ligands or catalysts for use in asymmetric syntheses.

EP-A-0 614 870 describes a process for preparing optically active aldehydes by hydro-formylation of prochiral 1-olefins in the presence of a rhodium complex comprising an unsymmetrical phosphonus-comprising ligand having a 1,1′-binaphthylene backbone as hydroformylation catalyst. The synthesis of the unsymmetrical phosphorus-comprising ligands is complicated. EP-A-0 614 901, EP-A-0 614 902, EP-A-0 614 903, EP-A-0 684 249 and DE-A-198 53 748 describe unsymmetrical phosphorus-comprising ligands having a comparable structure.

WO 93/03839 (EP-B-0 600 020) describes an optically active metal-ligand catalyst complex comprising an optically active pnicogen compound as ligand and processes for asymmetric synthesis in the presence of such a catalyst.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for preparing chiral compounds with high stereoselectivity. In addition, the desired isomer should also be obtained in high yield. A specific object of the invention is to provide a process which is suitable for the hydrogenation of carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom multiple bonds with high stereoselectivity. A further specific object of the present invention is to provide a hydroformylation process which is suitable for the hydroformylation of olefins with high stereoselectivity. The processes should preferably use catalysts whose ligands can be prepared easily and in good yields.

It has now surprisingly been found that this object is achieved by the provision of chiral catalysts based on monopnicogen ligands or monopseudopnicogen ligands which are capable of forming intermolecular noncovalent bonds. Such ligands can in principle dimerize via intermolecular noncovalent bonds and thus form pseudochelate complexes.

The present invention accordingly provides a process for preparing chiral compounds by reacting a prochiral compound comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond with a substrate in the presence of a chiral catalyst comprising at least one transition metal complex with ligands which each have a pnicogen-comprising or pseudopnicogen-comprising group and at least one functional group capable of forming intermolecular, noncovalent bonds, with the complex comprising ligands dimerized via intermolecular noncovalent bonds.

In addition, the present invention provides ligands which each have one pnicogen-comprising or pseudopnicogen-comprising group and at least one functional group capable of forming intermolecular, noncovalent bonds, and also chiral catalysts.

The term “pnicogen atom” refers to an atom of main group V of the Periodic Table of the Elements. Preferred pnicogen atoms are N, P, As and Sb, with particular preference being given to N and P. If the pnicogen atom is a nitrogen atom, this is preferably present as an imine (═N—), i.e. it has a double bond to an adjacent atom. In particular, a P atom is used as pnicogen atom.

The term “pseudopnicogen atom” refers to an atom which behaves in the same way as a pnicogen atom. A preferred pseudopnicogen atom is the carbene carbon atom. Correspondingly, a “pseudopnicogen-comprising group” is a group which behaves the same as a pnicogen-comprising group. Preferred pseudopnicogen-comprising groups are N-heterocyclic carbenes as are described by W. A. Herrmann in Angew. Chem. 2002, 114, pp. 1342-1363. The disclosure of this document is hereby fully incorporated by reference.

For the purposes of the present invention, “chiral compounds” are compounds having at least one center of chirality (i.e. at least one asymmetric atom, in particular at least one asymmetric C atom or P atom), an axis of chirality, a plane of chirality or a helical structure.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “chiral catalyst” is interpreted broadly. It comprises both catalysts having at least one chiral ligand and catalysts which have intrinsically achiral ligands but display center chirality, axial chirality, planar chirality or helicity due to the arrangement of the ligands as a result of noncovalent interactions and/or the arrangement of the ligands in complexed form.

“Achiral compounds” are compounds which are not chiral.

For the purposes of the present invention, a “prochiral compound” is a compound having at least one prochiral center. “Asymmetric synthesis” refers to a reaction in which a compound having at least one center of chirality, an axis of chirality, a plane of chirality or a helical structure is produced from a compound having at least one prochiral center, with the stereoisomeric products being formed in unequal amounts.

“Stereoisomers” are compounds having the same constitution but a different arrangement of atoms in three-dimensional space.

“Enantiomers” are stereoisomers which are mirror images of one another. The “enantiomeric excess” (ee) achieved in an asymmetric synthesis is given by the formula: ee[%]=(R−S)/(R+S)×100. R and S are the descriptors of the CIP system for the two enantiomers and indicate the absolute configuration around an asymmetric atom. The enantiomerically pure compound (ee=100%) is also referred to as a “homochiral compound”.

The process of the invention leads to products which are enriched in a particular stereoisomer. The “enantiomeric excess” (ee) achieved is generally at least 20%, preferably at least 50%, in particular at least 80%.

“Diastereomers” are stereoisomers which are not enantiomers of one another.

It has surprisingly been found that chiral catalysts which comprise at least one complex with monopnicogen ligands or monopseudopnicogen ligands (ligands which have only one pnicogen-comprising group or pseudopnicogen-comprising group per molecule) and are capable of forming, via intermolecular noncovalent bonds, dimers in which the distance between the two pnicogen atoms/pseudopnicogen atoms is in a range usual for chelating ligands achieve a stereoselectivity in asymmetric synthesis which is as high as that which is otherwise achieved only when using chelating ligands. In addition, the regioselectivity typical of chelating ligands can generally also be achieved when using these catalysts. Thus, for example, when they are used in hydroformylation, they can achieve n-selectivities of a level which is otherwise achieved only when using chelating ligands.

Ligands which are capable of forming dimers via intermolecular, noncovalent bonds are also referred to as pseudochelating ligands for the purposes of the present invention.

According to the invention, ligands which have a functional group capable of forming intermolecular, noncovalent bonds are used. These bonds are preferably hydrogen bonds or ionic bonds, in particular hydrogen bonds. In a preferred embodiment, the functional groups can be groups capable of tautomerism. The functional groups capable of forming intermolecular noncovalent bonds make the ligands capable of association, i.e. formation of aggregates in the form of dimers.

For the purposes of the present invention, a pair of functional groups of two ligands which are capable of forming intermolecular noncovalent bonds are referred to as “complementary functional groups”. “Complementary compounds” are ligand/ligand pairs which have functional groups which are complementary to one another. Such pairs are capable of association, i.e. formation of aggregates.

The functional groups capable of forming intermolecular noncovalent bonds are preferably selected from among hydroxyl, primary, secondary and tertiary amino, thiol, keto, thioketone, imine, carboxylic ester, carboxamide, amidine, urethane, urea, sulfoxide, sulfoximine, sulfonamide and sulfonic ester groups.

These functional groups are preferably self-complementary functional groups, i.e. the formation of the noncovalent bonds occurs between two identical functional groups of the ligands used. Functional groups capable of tautomerism can each be present in the dimers in the form of identical or different isomers (tautomers). For instance, in the case of keto-enol tautomerism, both mono(pseudo)pnicogen ligands can be in the keto form, both can be in the enol form or one can be in the keto form and the other in the enol form. Of course, the ligand/ligand pairs can also be formed by two different ligands.

The distance between the atoms of the pnicogen-comprising or pseudopnicogen-comprising groups of the dimerized ligands which coordinate to the transition metal is preferably not more than 5 Å. It is preferably in a range from 2.5 to 4.5 Å, particularly preferably from 3.5 to 4.2 Å.

Suitable methods of determining whether the ligands used are capable of forming dimers include crystal structure analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and molecular modeling. The ligands in uncomplexed form can generally be employed for the determination. This applies in particular to molecular modeling methods. In addition, it has been found that crystal structure analysis carried out on the solid, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in solution and calculation of the structure for the gas phase all generally provide reliable predictions regarding the behavior of the ligands used under the reaction conditions of the reaction being catalyzed. Thus, for example, ligands which according to the abovementioned methods of determination are capable of forming dimers generally also display properties as are otherwise usual only for chelating ligands under the conditions of the reactions in which they are used. Such properties include, in particular, achievement of a high stereoselectivity in the hydrogenation and hydroformylation of prochiral olefins. Furthermore, it has been found that this high stereoselectivity is no longer achieved when the formation of intermolecular noncovalent bonds between the ligands is disrupted in the reaction by addition of acids or protic solvents such as methanol.

In a suitable method of determining whether a ligand is suitable for the process of the invention, all possible hydrogen-bonded dimers of the ligand and its tautomers are firstly produced by means of a graphical molecular modeling program. These dimer structures are then optimized by means of quantum-chemical methods. This is preferably done using density functional theory (DFT), for example using Functional B-P86 (A. D. Becke, Phys. Rev. A 1988, 38, 3098; J. P. Perdew, Phys. Rev. B 1986, 33, 8822; ibid 1986, 34, 7406(E)) and Basis SV(P) (A. Schäfer, H. Hom, R. Ahlrichs, J. Chem. Phys. 1992, 97, 2571) in the program package Turbomole (R. Ahlrichs, M. Bär, M. Haser, H. Hom, C. Kölmel, Chem. Phys. Lett. 1989, 162, 165; M. v. Amim, R. Ahlrichs; J. Comput. Chem. 1998, 19, 1746) (obtainable from the University of Karlsruhe). A suitable commercially available molecular modeling package is Gaussian 98 (M. J. Frisch, J. A. Pople et al., Gaussian 98, Revision A.5, Gaussian Inc., Pittsburgh (Pa.) 1998).

Preferred pseudochelating ligands are ones in which the distance between the coordinating atoms, e.g. the P atoms, in the calculated dimer structure is less than 5 Å.

For the purposes of the description of the present invention, the expression “alkyl” comprises straight-chain and branched alkyl groups. These are preferably straight-chain or branched C₁-C₂₀-alkyl groups, more preferably C₁-C₁₂alkyl groups, particularly preferably C₁-C₈-alkyl groups and very particularly preferably C₁-C₄-alkyl groups. Examples of alkyl groups are, in particular, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, 2-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, n-pentyl, 2-pentyl, 2-methylbutyl, 3-methylbutyl, 1,2-dimethylpropyl, 1,1-dimethylpropyl, 2,2-dimethylpropyl, 1-ethylpropyl, n-hexyl, 2-hexyl, 2-methylpentyl, 3-methylpentyl, 4-methylpentyl, 1,2-dimethylbutyl, 1,3-dimethylbutyl, 2,3-dimethylbutyl, 1,1-dimethylbutyl, 2,2-dimethylbutyl, 3,3-dimethylbutyl, 1,1,2-trimethylpropyl, 1,2,2-trimethylpropyl, 1-ethylbutyl, 2-ethylbutyl, 1-ethyl-2-methylpropyl, n-heptyl, 2-heptyl, 3-heptyl, 2-ethylpentyl, 1-propylbutyl, n-octyl, 2-ethylhexyl, 2-propylheptyl, nonyl, decyl.

The expression “alkyl” also comprises substituted alkyl groups which generally have 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 substituents, preferably 1, 2 or 3 substituents and particularly preferably 1 substituent. These are preferably selected from among alkoxy, cycloalkyl, aryl, hetaryl, hydroxyl, halogen, NE¹E², NE¹E²E³⁺, carboxylate and sulfonate. A preferred perfluoroalkyl group is trifluoromethyl.

For the purposes of the present invention, the expression “alkylene” refers to straight-chain or branched alkanediyl groups having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms.

For the purposes of the present invention, the expression “cycloalkyl” comprises unsubstituted and substituted cycloalkyl groups, preferably C₅-C₇-cycloalkyl groups such as cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl or cycloheptyl. If they are substituted, these can generally bear 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 substituents, preferably 1, 2 or 3 substituents and particularly preferably 1 substituent. These substituents are preferably selected from among alkyl, alkoxy, NE¹E², NE¹E²E³⁺ and halogen.

For the purposes of the present invention, the expression “heterocycloalkyl” comprises saturated, cycloaliphatic groups which generally have from 4 to 7, preferably 5 or 6, ring atoms and in which 1 or 2 of the ring carbons are replaced by heteroatoms selected from among the elements oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur and which may be substituted. If they are substituted, these heterocycloaliphatic groups can bear 1, 2 or 3 substituents, preferably 1 or 2 substituents, particularly preferably 1 substituent. These substituents are preferably selected from among alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, COOR^(o), COOM⁺, hydroxyl, halogen and NE¹E², with particular preference being given to alkyl radicals. Examples of such heterocycloaliphatic groups are pyrrolidinyl, piperidinyl, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl, imidazolidinyl, pyrazolidinyl, oxazolidinyl, morpholidinyl, thiazolidinyl, isothiazolidinyl, isoxazolidinyl, piperazinyl, tetrahydrothienyl, tetrahydrofuranyl, tetrahydropyranyl, dioxanyl.

For the purposes of the present invention, the expression “aryl” comprises unsubstituted and substituted aryl groups and preferably refers to phenyl, tolyl, xylyl, mesityl, naphthyl, fluorenyl, anthracenyl, phenanthrenyl or naphthacenyl, particularly preferably phenyl or naphthyl. If they are substituted, these aryl groups can generally bear 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 substituents, preferably 1, 2 or 3 substituents and particularly preferably 1 sustituent, selected from among the groups alkyl, alkoxy, carboxylate, trifluoromethyl, sulfonate, NE¹E², alkylene-NE¹E², nitro, cyano and halogen. A preferred perfluoroaryl group is pentafluorophenyl.

For the purposes of the present invention, the expression “hetaryl” comprises unsubstituted or substituted, heterocycloaromatic groups, preferably the groups furyl, thienyl, pyridyl, quinolinyl, acridinyl, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl, pyrrolyl, imidazolyl, pyrazolyl, indolyl, purinyl, indazolyl, benzotriazolyl, 1,2,3-triazolyl, 1,3,4-triazolyl and carbazolyl. If they are substituted, these heterocycloaromatic groups can generally bear 1, 2 or 3 substituents selected from among the groups alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyl, carboxylate, sulfonate NE¹E², alkylen-NE¹E² and halogen.

For the purposes of the present invention, carboxylate and sulfonate are preferably derivatives of a carboxylic acid function or a sulfonic acid function, in particular a metal carboxylate or sulfonate, a carboxylic ester or sulfonic ester function or a carboxamide or sulfonamide function. Such derivatives include, for example, the esters with C₁-C₄-alkanols such as methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, sec-butanol and tert-butanol.

What has been said above with regard to the expressions “alkyl”, “cycloalkyl”, “aryl”, “heterocycloalkyl” and “hetaryl” applies analogously to the expressions “alkoxy”, “cycloalkoxy”, “aryloxy”, “heterocycloalkoxy” and “hetaryloxy”.

For the purposes of the present invention, the expression “acyl” refers to alkanoyl or aroyl groups generally having from 2 to 11, preferably from 2 to 8, carbon atoms, for example the formyl, acetyl, propanoyl, butanoyl, pentanoyl, hexanoyl, heptanoyl-, 2-ethylhexanoyl, 2-propylheptanoyl, benzoyl or naphthoyl group.

The radicals E¹ to E¹² are selected independently from among hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl and aryl. The groups N¹E², NE⁴E⁵, NE⁷E⁸ and N¹⁰E¹¹ are preferably N,N-dimethylamino, N,N-diethylamino, N,N-dipropylamino, N,N-diisopropylamino, N,N-di-n-butylamino, N, N-di-t-butylamino, N, N-dicyclohexylamino or N, N-diphenylamino.

Halogen is fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine, preferably fluorine, chlorine or bromine.

M⁺ is a cation equivalent, i.e. a monovalent cation or the part of a polyvalent cation corresponding to a single positive charge. The cation M⁺ serves merely as counterion to neutralize negatively charged substituent groups such as the COO⁻ or sulfonate group and can in principle be selected freely. Preference is therefore given to using alkali metal ions, in particular Na⁺, K⁺, Li⁺ ions, or onium ions, such as ammonium, monoalkylammonium, dialkylammonium, trialkylammonium, tetraalkylammonium, phosphonium, tetraalkylphosphonium or tetraarylphosphonium ions.

An analogous situation applies to the anion equivalent X⁻ which serves merely as counterion of positively charged substituent groups such as ammonium groups and can be selected freely from among monovalent anions and the parts of a polyvalent anion corresponding to a single negative charge. Preference is generally given to halide ions X⁻, in particular chloride and bromide.

x and y are each an integer from 1 to 240, preferably an integer from 2 to 120.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “polycyclic compound” comprises in the broadest sense compounds which comprise at least two rings, regardless of the way in which these rings are linked. The rings can be carbocyclic and/or heterocyclic. The rings can be linked via single or double bonds (“multinuclear compounds”), be joined by fusion (“fused ring systems”) or be bridged (“bridged ring systems”, “cage compounds”). Preferred pplycyclic compounds are fused ring systems.

Fused ring systems can be aromatic, hydroaromatic and cyclic compounds joined by fusion. Fused ring systems comprise two, three or more rings. Depending on the way in which the rings are linked, a distinction is made in the case of fused ring systems between ortho-fusion, i.,e. each ring shares an edge or two atoms with each adjacent ring, and peri-fusion in which one carbon atom belongs to more than two rings. Among fused ring systems, preference is given to ortho-fused ring systems.

The ligand/ligand pairs used according to the invention can be represented schematically by the formula I:

where

-   the atoms Pn are independently selected pnicogen atoms or     coordinating atoms of pseudopnicogen-comprising groups, -   A and B are radicals of mutually complementary functional groups     between which there is a noncovalent interaction, -   R¹ is a singly or doubly bonded organyl radical, -   R² is a singly bonded organyl radical, -   a is, depending on the valence of the pnicogen atom or coordinating     atom of the pseudopnicogen-comprising groups and the number of     coordination sites occupied by the radical R², 0 or 1,     where the pnicogen atom or coordinating atom of the     pseudopnicogen-comprising group can, together with at least two of     the radicals R¹, R² and A or B bound thereto, also be part of a ring     system.

The Pn atoms in the formula I are preferably selected independently from among N, P, As, Sb and carbene carbon atoms.

In a first variant, the pnicogen- or pseudopnicogen-comprising group is a carbene group of the formula R¹—C—A or R¹—C—B. The carbene carbon atom is then preferably part of a ring system of the formula I.1

where

-   G¹ is NR⁸ or CR^(C)R^(D), where R^(B), R^(C) and R^(D) are each,     independently of one another, hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl,     heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl, where R^(C) or R^(D) may also be     one bond equivalent of a double bond, -   Q¹ is a divalent bridging group having from 1 to 5 atoms between the     flanking bonds, -   R^(A) is hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or     hetaryl,     where one of the radicals R^(A), R^(B), R^(C), R^(D) or a radical on     the group Q¹ is a functional group capable of forming     intermolecular, noncovalent bonds or comprises such a group.

The compounds of the formula I.1 are preferably selected from among the N-heterocyclic carbenes of the formula I.1a to I.1d

where

-   R^(A), R^(B), R^(C), R^(E) and R^(F) are each, independently of one     another, hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or     hetaryl, where one of these radicals is a functional group capable     of forming intermolecular, noncovalent bonds or comprises such a     group.

In the compounds of the formulae I.1a to I.1d, the radicals R^(A), R^(B), R^(C), R^(E) and R^(F) which are not a functional group capable of forming intermolecular, noncovalent bonds or comprise such a group are preferably unsubstituted or monosubstituted or polysubstituted alkyl or aryl radicals.

The radical R^(A) in the compounds of the formulae I.1a to I.1d is preferably a functional group capable of forming intermolecular, noncovalent bonds or comprises such a group.

In a second variant, the pnicogen- or pseudopnicogen-comprising group is an imine group of the formula R¹═N—A or R¹═N—B. The imine group is then preferably part of a ring system of the formula I.2

where

-   Q² is a divalent bridging group having from 1 to 5 atoms between the     flanking bonds, and -   R^(G), R^(H) and R^(I) are each, independently of one another,     hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl,     where one of the radicals R^(G), R^(H), R^(I) or a radical on the     group Q² is a functional group capable of forming intermolecular,     noncovalent bonds or comprise such a group.

The group Q² in the formula I.2 is preferably a C₁-C₅-alkylene group which can contain a heteroatom or a heteroatom-comprising group, preferably selected from among O, S or NR^(K) (R^(K)=hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl).

The compounds of the formula I.2 are preferably selected from among cyclic imines of the formulae I.2a and I.2b

where

-   G² is O or NR^(K), where R^(K) is hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl,     heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl, -   R^(G), R^(H), R^(I) and R^(L) are each, independently of one     another, hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or     hetaryl,     where one of the radicals R^(G), R^(H), R^(I), R^(K) and R^(L) is a     functional group capable of forming intermolecular, noncovalent     bonds or comprises such a group.

The radical R^(G)in the compounds of the formulae I.2a and I.2b is preferably a functional group capable of forming intermolecular, noncovalent bonds or comprises such a group.

The radical R^(H) in the compounds of the formulae I.2a and I.2b is preferably alkyl, in particular methyl, ethyl, isopropyl or tert-butyl, aryl, in particular phenyl, or arylalkyl, in particular benzyl.

The radicals R^(I) and R^(L) in the compounds of the formulae I.2a and I.2b are preferably each hydrogen.

The group G² in the compounds of the formulae I.2a and I.2b is preferably O or NR^(K).

In a third variant, the pnicogen- or pseudopnicogen-comprising group is selected from among groups of the formula I.3

where

-   Pn is N, P, As or Sb, preferably P, -   R¹ and R² are each, independently of one another, alkyl, alkoxy,     cycloalkyl, cycloalkoxy, heterocycloalkyl, heterocycloalkoxy, aryl,     aryloxy, hetaryl or hetaryloxy or -   R¹ and R² together with the phosphorus atom to which they are     bound-form a 4- to 8-membered heterocycle which may additionally be     fused with one, two or three cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or     hetaryl groups, where the heterocycle and, if present, the fused-on     groups may each bear, independently of one another, one, two, three     or four substituents selected from among alkyl, cycloalkyl,     heterocycloalkyl, aryl, hetaryl, COOR^(c), COO⁻M⁺, SO₃R^(c), SO₃     ⁻M⁺, PO₃(R^(c))(R^(d)), (PO₃)²⁻(M⁺)₂, NE⁴E⁵, (NE⁴E⁵E⁶)⁺X⁻, OR^(e),     SR^(e), (CHR^(f)CH₂O)_(y)R^(e), (CH₂O)_(y)R^(e),     (CH₂CH₂NE⁴)_(y)R^(e), halogen, nitro, acyl and cyano,     -   where     -   R^(c) and R^(d) are identical or different radicals selected         from among hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl and hetaryl,     -   R^(e), E⁴, E⁵, E⁶ are identical or different radicals selected         from among hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl and hetaryl,     -   R^(f) is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl,     -   M⁺ is a cation equivalent,     -   X⁻ is an anion equivalent and     -   y is an integer from 1 to 240.

In a first preferred embodiment, the radicals R¹ and R² in the groups of the formula I.3 are not bridged. R¹ and R² are then preferably selected, independently of one another, from among alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl and hetaryl, as defined at the outset.

Preferably at least one R¹ and R² is aryl and more preferably both R¹ and R² are aryl. For example, one of the radicals R¹ and R² is then phenyl and the other is naphthyl or R¹ and R² are both phenyl or R¹ and R² are both naphthyl. Preferred naphthyl radicals are 1-naphthyl radicals.

In a further preferred embodiment, the radicals R¹ and R² in the groups of the formula I.3 are bridged. The pnicogen-comprising group is then preferably a group of the formula

where

-   Pn is P, As or Sb, preferably P, -   r and s are each, independently of one another, 0 or 1, and -   D together with the phosphorus atom and the oxygen atom(s) to which     it is bound forms a 4- to 8-membered heterocycle which may be fused     with one, two or three cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl and/or     hetaryl groups, where the fused-on groups may each independently of     one another bear one, two, three or four substituents selected from     among alkyl, alkoxy, halogen, sulfonate, NE⁴E⁵, alkylene-NE⁴E⁵,     nitro, cyano and carboxylate, and/or D may bear one, two, three or     four substituents selected from among alkyl, hydroxy, alkoxy,     optionally substituted cycloalkyl and optionally substituted aryl,     and/or D may be interrupted by 1, 2 or 3 optionally substituted     heteroatoms.

The radical D is preferably a C₂-C₆-alkylene bridge which has 1 or 2 aryl groups fused onto it and/or may bear a substituent selected from among alkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl and optionally substituted aryl and/or may be interrupted by an optionally substituted heteroatom.

The fused-on aryls of the radicals D are preferably benzene or naphthalene. Fused-on benzene rings are preferably unsubstituted or have 1, 2 or 3, in particular 1 or 2, substituents which are preferably selected from among alkyl, alkoxy, halogen, sulfonate, NE⁴E⁵, alkylene-NE⁴E⁵, trifluoromethyl, nitro, carboxylate, alkoxycarbonyl, acyl and cyano. Fused-on naphthalenes are preferably unsubstituted or have 1, 2 or 3, in particular 1 or 2, of the substituents mentioned above in the case of the fused-on benzene rings in the ring which is not fused on and/or in the fused-on ring. In the case of the substituents on the fused-on aryls, alkyl is preferably C₁-C₄-alkyl and in particular methyl, isopropyl or tert-butyl. Alkoxy is preferably C₁-C₄-alkoxy and in particular methoxy. Alkoxycarbonyl is preferably C₁-C₄-alkoxycarbonyl.

If the C₂-C₆-alkylene bridge of the radical D is interrupted by 1, 2 or 3 optionally substituted heteroatoms, these are preferably selected from among O, S and NR^(h), where R^(h) is alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl.

If the C₂-C₆-alkylene bridge of the radical D is substituted it preferably bears 1, 2, 3 or 4, in particular 2 or 4, substituents selected from among alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxy, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl and hetaryl, where the cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl and hetaryl substituents may each bear 1, 2 or 3 of the substituents mentioned at the outset as being suitable for these radicals.

The radical D is preferably a C₃-C₆-alkylene bridge which, as indicated above, is fused and/or substituted and/or interrupted by optionally substituted heteroatoms. In particular, the radical D is a C₃-C₆-alkylene bridge which is fused with one or two phenyl and/or naphthyl groups, where the phenyl or naphthyl groups may bear 1, 2 or 3 of the abovementioned substituents.

Preference is given to the radical D together with the phosphorus atom and the oxygen atom(s) to which it is bound forming a 4- to 8-membered heterocycle. In this case D is a radical selected from among the radicals of the formulae II.1 to II.4,

where

-   T is O, S or NR^(I), where     -   R^(I) is alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, -   or T is a C₁-C₃-alkylene bridge which may have a double bond and/or     an alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl substituent, where the aryl substituent     may bear one, two or three of the substituents mentioned for aryl, -   or T is a C₂-C₃-alkylene bridge which is interrupted by O, S or     NR^(I), -   R^(I), R^(II), R^(III), R^(IV), R^(V), R^(VI)R^(VII), R^(VIII),     R^(IX), R^(X), R^(XI) and R^(XII) are each, independently of one     another, hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, alkoxy, halogen,     sulfonate, NE⁴E⁵, alkylene-NE⁴E⁵, trifluoromethyl, nitro,     alkoxycarbonyl or cyano.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the radicals R¹ and R² in the groups of the formula I.3 are bridged in such a way that the phosphorus-comprising group of the formula

is a chiral heterocycle. The bridging groups D are then preferably selected from among groups of the formulae II.1 and II.3, where

-   R^(I), R^(II), R^(III), R^(IV), R^(V), R^(VI)R^(VII), R^(VIII),     R^(IX), R^(X), R^(XI) and R^(XII) are each, independently of one     another, hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl,     hetaryl, hydroxy, thiol, polyalkylene oxide, polyalkylenimine,     alkoxy, halogen, SO₃H, suifonate, NE⁴E⁵, alkylene-NE⁴E⁵,     trifluoromethyl, nitro, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyl, acyl and cyano,     where E⁴ and E⁵ are identical or different radicals selected from     among-hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl and aryl.

Preference is also given to Y being a group of the formula II.1 in which R^(IV) and R^(V) are each, independently of one another, C₁-C₄-alkyl or C₁-C₄-alkoxy. R^(IV) and R^(V) are preferably selected from among methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, tert-butyl and methoxy. In these compounds, R^(I), R^(II), R^(III), R^(VI), R^(VII) and R^(VIII) are preferably each hydrogen.

Preference is also given to Y being a group of the formula II.1 in which R^(I) and R^(II) are each, independently of one another, C₁-C₄-alkyl or C₁-C₄-alkoxy. R^(I) and R^(VIII) are particularly preferably tert-butyl. In these compounds, R^(II), R^(III), R^(IV), R^(V), R^(VI), R^(VII) are particularly preferably each hydrogen. Preference is also given to R^(III) and R^(VI) in these compounds being, independently of one another, C₁-C₄-alkyl or C₁-C₄-alkoxy. R^(III) and R^(VI). are particularly preferably selected independently from among methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, tert-butyl and methoxy.

Preference is also given to Y being a group of the formula II.1 in which R^(II) and R^(VII) are each hydrogen. In these compounds, preference is given to R^(I), R^(III), R^(IV), R^(V), R^(VI) and R^(VIII) each being, independently of one another, C₁-C₄-alkyl or C₁-C₄-alkoxy. R^(I), R^(III), R^(IV), R^(V), R^(VI) and R^(VIII) are particularly preferably selected independently from among methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, tert-butyl and methoxy.

Preference is also given to Y being a group of the formula II.3 in which R^(I) to R^(XII) are each hydrogen.

Preference is also given to Y being a group of the formula II.3 in which R^(I) and R^(XII) are each, independently of one another, C₁-C₄-alkyl or C₁-C₄-alkoxy. In particular, R^(I) and R^(XII) are selected independently from among methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, tert-butyl, methoxy and alkoxycarbonyl, preferably methoxycarbonyl. In these compounds, the radicals R^(II) to R^(XI) are particularly preferably each hydrogen.

Preferred chiral groups of the general formula I.3 include, for example, (2R, 3S, 4R, 5S)-2,5-dimethyl-3,4-dihydroxyphospholano and (2S, 3R, 4S, 5R)-2,5-dimethyl-3,4-dihydroxyphospholano groups and also (R)-1,1′-binaphthylene-2,2′-diyldioxyphosphino, (S)-1,1′-binaphthylene-2,2′-diyldioxyphosphino, (S)-1,1′-biphenylene-2,2′-diyldioxyphosphino and (S)-1,1′-biphenylene-2,2′-diyldioxyphosphino groups which may be unsubstituted or, as described above, substituted.

Preference is given to at least one of the ligands used according to the invention having a functional group capable of tautomerism and capable of forming intermolecular noncovalent bonds. This group is preferably selected from among groups of the formula

and the tautomers thereof, where Y is O, S or NR⁴ and R⁴ is hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl.

The position of the respective equilibrium between the tautomers is dependent, inter alia, on the group Y and on the substituents on the group capable of tautomerism. The equilibrium is shown below for the examples of keto-enol tautomerism and imineenamine tautomerism:

The ligands used according to the invention preferably comprise at least one structural element of the formula I.a or I.b

or tautomers thereof, where

-   Pn, R¹, R² and a are as defined above, -   R³ is hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, cycloalkyl, cycloalkoxy,     heterocycloalkyl, heterocycloalkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, hetaryl or     hetaryloxy, -   X is a divalent bridging group having from 1 to 5 bridge atoms     between the flanking bonds, -   Y is O, S or NR⁴, where R⁴ is hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl,     heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl,     where two or more of the radicals X and R¹ to R⁴ together with the     structural element of the formula I.a or I.b to which they are bound     may form a monocyclic or polycyclic compound.

With regard to suitable and preferred radicals R¹ and R², reference is made to what has been said above.

In the compounds of the formulae I.a and I.b, Pn is preferably N, P, As or Sb, particularly preferably P, As or Sb and in particular P.

The divalent bridging group X in the compounds of the formulae I.a and I.b preferably has from 1 to 4, particularly preferably from 1 to 3, bridge atoms between the flanking bonds.

The divalent bridging group X is preferably a C₁-C₅-alkylene bridge which, depending on the number of bridge atoms, may have one or two double bonds and/or one, two, three or four substituents selected from among alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, hetaryl, carboxylate, sulfonate, phosphonate, N¹E² (E¹, E²=hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, acyl or aryl), hydroxy, thiol, halogen, nitro, acyl and cyano, where the cycloalkyl, aryl and hetaryl substituents may additionally bear one, two or three substituents selected from among alkyl, alkoxy, halogen, trifluoromethyl, nitro, alkoxycarbonyl and cyano, and/or one or two nonadjacent bridge atoms of the C₁-C₅-alkylene bridge X may be replaced by a heteroatom or a heteroatom-comprising group and/or the alkylene bridge X can have one or two aryl and/or hetaryl groups fused onto it, where the fused-on aryl and hetaryl groups may each bear one, two or three substituents selected from among alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, alkoxy, cycloalkoxy, aryloxy, acyl, halogen, trifluoromethyl, nitro, cyano, carboxyl, alkoxycarbonyl and NE¹E² (E¹ and E²=hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, acyl or aryl) and/or two or more bridge atoms of the C₁-C₅-alkylene bridge X together with the structural element of the formula I.a or I.b to which they are bound may form a monocyclic or polycyclic compound.

X is preferably a C₁-C₅-alkylene bridge which can have one or two double bonds. Preference is also given to two or more of the bridge atoms of the bridge X together with the structural element of the formula I.a or I.b to which they are bound forming a monocyclic or polycyclic compound.

The ligands used according to the invention preferably have at least one structural element of the formula I.a or I.b in which the group X and the radical R³ together with the group —NH—C(═Y)— to which they are bound form a 5- to 8-membered, preferably 6-membered ring. This ring can have one, two or three double bonds, where one of these double bonds can be due to the tautomeric group —N═C(YH)—. Preference is given to 6-membered rings which, allowing for the tautomerism, have three double bonds. Such ring systems in which one of the tautomers can form an aromatic ring system are particularly stable. The rings mentioned can be unsubstituted or can bear one, two, three, four or five of the abovementioned substituents. These are preferably selected from among C₁-C₄-alkyl, particularly preferably methyl, ethyl, isopropyl or tert-butyl, C₁-C₄-alkoxy, especially methoxy, ethoxy, isopropyloxy or tert-butyloxy, and aryl, preferably phenyl. In one useful embodiment, the rings mentioned have at least one double bond and the radicals bound to this double bond form a fused ring system having 1, 2 or 3 further rings. These are preferably benzene rings or naphthalene units. Fused-on benzene rings are preferably unsubstituted or have 1, 2 or 3 substituents selected from among alkyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, carboxylate, sulfonate, halogen, NE¹E², trifluoromethyl, nitro, alkoxycarbonyl, acyl and cyano. Fused-on naphthalene units are preferably unsubstituted or have 1, 2 or 3 of the substituents mentioned above in the case of the fused-on benzene rings in the ring which is not fused on and/or in the fused-on ring.

The ligands used according to the invention are preferably selected from among compounds of the formulae I.A to I.C

and the tautomers thereof, where

-   one of the radcals R⁵ to R⁹ is a pnicogen- or     pseudopnicogen-comprising group as defined above, -   the radicals R⁵ to R⁹ which are not a pnicogen- or     pseudopnicogen-comprising group are each, independently of one     another, hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl,     hetaryl, WCOOR^(o), WCOO⁻M⁺, W(SO₃)R^(o), W(SO₃)⁻M⁺,     WPO₃(R^(o))(R^(p)), W(PO₃)²⁻M⁺)₂, WNE¹E², W(NE¹E²E³)⁺X⁻, WOR^(q),     WSR^(q), (CHR^(r)CH₂O)_(x)R^(q), (CH₂NE¹)_(x)R^(q),     (CH₂CH₂NE¹)_(x)R^(q), halogen, nitro, acyl or cyano,     where -   W is a single bond, a heteroatom, a heteroatom-comprising group or a     divalent bridging group having from 1 to 20 bridge atoms, -   R^(o) and R^(p) are identical or different radicals selected from     among alkyl, cycloalkyl, acyl and aryl, -   R^(q), E¹, E², E³ are identical or different radicals selected from     among hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, acyl and aryl, -   R^(r) is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl, -   M⁺ is a cation equivalent, -   X⁻ is an anion equivalent and -   x is an integer from 1 to 240,     where two vicinal radicals R⁵ to R⁹ may also form a fused ring     system, and     R^(a)and R^(b) are each hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl,     heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl, and R^(a) can also be acyl.

Suitable pnicogen- or pseudopnicogen-comprising groups of the compounds (I.A) to (I.C) are the groups I.1, I.2 and I.3 mentioned above. Suitable and preferred embodiments of these groups are incorporated by reference.

The pnicogen- or pseudopnicogen-comprising groups of the compounds (I.A) to (I.C) are preferably selected from among groups of the formula —W′—PnR¹R², where

-   Pn is N, P, As or Sb, in particular P, As or Sb, especially P, -   W′ is a single bond, a heteroatom, a heteroatom-comprising group or     a divalent bridging group having from 1 to 4 bridge atoms between     the flanking bonds, -   R¹ and R² are as defined above.

If two vicinal radicals selected from among the radicals R⁵ to R⁹ in the compounds of the formulae I.A to I.C which are not a pnicogen- or pseudopnicogen-comprising group form a fused ring system, these are preferably the radicals R⁷ and R⁸. The fused-on rings are preferably benzene rings or naphthalene units.

Fused-on benzene rings are preferably unsubstituted or have 1, 2 or 3 substituents which are preferably selected from among alkyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, carboxylate, sulfonate, halogen, NE¹E², trifluoromethyl, nitro, alkoxycarbonyl, acyl and cyano. Fused-on naphthalene units are preferably unsubstituted or have 1, 2 or 3 of the substituents mentioned above in the case of the fused-on benzene rings in the ring which is not fused on and/or in the fused-on ring.

When the radical R^(a) in the compounds of the formula I.B is acyl, this acyl radical is preferably selected from among radicals of the formula —C(═O)—R^(k), where R^(k) is hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl. R^(k) is preferably C₁-C₄-alkyl, in particular methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl or tert-butyl. A preferred acyl radical R^(a) is the pivaloyl radical.

The compounds of the formulae I.A to I.C are suitable as ligands in catalysts for asymmetric syntheses regardless of their ability to form intermolecular, noncovalent bonds. The invention therefore also provides a process for preparing chiral compounds by reacting a prochiral compound comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond with a substrate in the presence of a chiral catalyst comprising at least one transition metal complex with ligands selected from among compounds of the formulae I.A to I.C as defined above.

The ligands used according to the invention are preferably selected from among compounds of the formulae I.i to I.iii

and the tautomers thereof, where

-   b is 0 or 1, -   Pn is a pnicogen- or pseudopnicogen-comprising group, preferably N,     P, As or Sb, in particular P, As or Sb, especially P, -   R¹ and R² are as defined above, -   R⁶ to R⁹ are each, independently of one another, hydrogen,     C₁-C₄-alkyl, C₁-C₄-alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, halogen,     C₁-C₄-alkoxycarbonyl or carbo)ylate, -   where two vicinal radicals R⁶ to R⁹ may also form a fused ring     system, and -   R^(a) and R^(b) are each hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, and     R^(a) can also be acyl.

In the compounds of the formulae I.i to I.iii, the radicals R¹ and R² are preferably each, independently of one another, C₁-C₈-alkyl such as methyl, ethyl, isopropyl and tert-butyl, C₅-C₈-cycloalkyl such as cyclohexyl or aryl such as phenyl. Preference is given to both the radicals R¹ and R² being aryl. In particular, one of the radicals R¹ and R² is phenyl and the other is naphthyl or R¹ and R² are both phenyl or R¹ and R² are both naphthyl. Preferred naphthyl radicals are 1-naphthyl radicals.

Preference is also given to compounds of the formulae I.i to I.iii in which the radicals R¹ and R² are bridged so that they form a pnicogen-comprising group of the formula

where Pn, D, r and s are as defined above.

In a particular embodiment, the pnicogen-comprising group is a chiral pnicogen-comprising group as described above. Reference is made to what has been said with regard to the groups II.1 and II.3.

The radicals R⁶, R⁷, R⁸ and R⁹ in the compounds l.i to l.iii are preferably selected independently from among hydrogen, C₁-C₄-alkyl, C₁-C₄-alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, carboxylate, sulfonate, NE¹E², halogen, trifluoromethyl, nitro, alkoxycarbonyl, acyl and cyano. R⁶, R⁷, R⁸ and R⁹ are preferably hydrogen, aryl or heteroaryl.

Preference is also given to the radicals R⁷ and R⁸ in the compounds I.i to I.iii forming a fused-on ring system.

In the compound of the formula I.ii, the radical R^(a) is preferably hydrogen, C₁-C₈-alkyl, C₅-C₈-cycloalkyl or C₆-C₁₀-aryl. Preference is also given to the radical R^(a) in the formula I.ii being acyl as defined above. In particular, R^(a) is —C(═O)—R^(k) where R^(k)═C₁-C₄-alkyl, in particular tert-butyl.

In the compounds of the formula I.iii the radical R^(b) is preferably hydrogen, C₁-C₈-alkyl, C₅-C₈-cycloalkyl or C₆-C₁₀-aryl or hetaryl.

A preferred ligand of the formula I.i is

and the tautomers thereof.

Preferred ligands of the formula I.ii are

and the tautomers thereof.

The ligand/ligand pairs according to the invention and those used according to the invention can be pairs of identical or different ligands.

Examples of ligands which can be used according to the invention are the following structures:

Examples of ligands which are preferred according to the invention are

-   6-[(R)-1,1′-binaphthylene-2,2′-diyldioxyphosphino]-1-H-pyridin-2-one, -   6-[(S)-1,1′-binaphthylene-2,2′-diyldioxyphosphino]-1-H-pyridin-2-one,     and -   6-(3,5-dioxa-4-phosphacyclohepta[2,     1-a,3,4-a]dinaphthalen-4-yloxy)-1 H-pyridin-2-one.

The preparation of ligands which can be used according to the invention can be carried out by conventional methods known to those skilled in the art.

The invention further provides a chiral catalyst as described above. What has been said above with regard to suitable and preferred ligands is fully incorporated by reference at this point.

The chiral catalysts of the invention and those used according to the invention preferably comprise two or more of the above-described compounds as ligands. At least two of the ligands are preferably present in dimerized form (as ligand/ligand pairs). The ligand/ligand pairs can be made up of identical or different ligands. In addition to the ligands described above, they can further comprise at least one additional ligand which is preferably selected from among halides, amines, carboxylates, acetylacetonate, arylsulfonates and alkylsulfonates, hydride, CO, olefins, dienes, cycloolefins, nitrites, N-comprising heterocycles, aromatics and heteroaromatics, ethers, PF₃, phospholes, phosphabenzenes and monodentate, bidentate and polydentate phosphine, phosphinite, phosphonite, phosphoramidite and phosphite ligands.

The transition metal is preferably a metal of transition group I, VI, VII or VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements. The transition metal is more preferably selected from among the metals of transition group VIII (i.e. Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt). In particular, the transition metal is iridium, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium or platinum.

The present invention provides a quite general process for preparing chiral compounds by reacting a prochiral compound comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond with a substrate in the presence of a chiral catalyst as described above. It is merely necessary for at least one of the ligands used or the overall catalytically active species to be chiral. In general, particular transition metal complexes are formed as catalytically active species under the reaction conditions of the individual processes for preparing chiral compounds. Thus, for example, the catalysts or catalyst precursors used in each case are converted under hydroformylation conditions into catalytically active species of the formula H_(x)M_(y)(CO)_(z)L_(q), where M is a transition metal, L is a pnicogen-comprising compound and q, x, y, z are integers which depend on the valence and type of the metal and on the number of coordination sites occupied by the ligand L. It is preferred that z and q each have, independently of one another, a value of at least 1, e.g. 1, 2 or 3. The sum of z and q is preferably from 1 to 5. If desired, the complexes may further comprise at least one of the above-described additional ligands. There is reason to assume that the respective catalytically active species also comprises dimerized ligands (pseudochelates).

The catalytically active species is preferably present as a homogeneous single-phase solution in a suitable solvent. This solution can further comprise free ligand.

The process of the invention for preparing chiral compounds is preferably a hydrogenation, hydroformylation, hydrocyanation, carbonylation, hydroacylation (intramolecular and intermolecular), hydroamidation, hydroesterification, hydrosilylation, hydroboration, aminolysis (hydroamination), alcoholysis (hydroxy-alkoxy addition), isomerization, transfer hydrogenation, metathesis, cyclopropanation, aldol condensation, allylic alkylation or a [4+2]-cycloaddition (Diels-Alder reaction).

The process of the invention for preparing chiral compounds is more preferably a 1,2-addition, in particular a hydrogenation or a 1-hydro-2-carboaddition. For the purposes of the present invention, a 1,2-addition is an addition onto the two adjacent atoms of a C═X double bond (X═C, heteroatom). A 1-hydro-2-carboaddition is an addition reaction in which hydrogen is bound to one atom of the double bond and a carbon-comprising group is bound to the other after the reaction. Double bond isomerizations during the addition reaction are permitted. For the purposes of the present invention, the use of the term 1-hydro-2-carboaddition in the case of unsymmetrical substrates does not imply preferential addition of the carbon fragment onto the C2 atom, since the selectivity in respect of the orientation of the addition is generally dependent on the agent to be added on and the catalyst used. The term “1-hydro-2-carboaddition” is thus equivalent to “1-carbo-2-hydroaddition”.

The reaction conditions of the process of the invention for preparing chiral compounds generally correspond, except for the chiral catalyst used, to those of the corresponding asymmetric processes. A person skilled in the art can thus find suitable reactors and reaction conditions for the respective process in the relevant literature and adapt them in a routine fashion. Suitable reaction temperatures are generally in a range from −100 to 500° C., preferably in a range from −80 to 250° C. Suitable reaction pressures are generally in a range from 0.0001 to 600 bar, preferably from 0.5 to 300 bar. The processes can generally be carried out continuously, semicontinuously or batchwise. Suitable reactors for a continuous reaction are known to those skilled in the art and are described, for example, in Ullmanns Enzyklopädie der technischen Chemie, Vol. 1, 3^(rd) edition, 1951, p. 743 ff. Suitable pressure-rated reactors are likewise known to those skilled in the art and are described, for example, in Ullmanns Enzyklopädie der technischen Chemie, Vol. 1, 3^(rd) edition, 1951, p. 769 ff.

The processes of the invention can be carried out in a suitable solvent which is inert under the respective reaction conditions. Generally suitable solvents are, for example, aromatics such as toluene and xylenes, hydrocarbons or mixtures of hydrocarbons. Further suitable solvents are halogenated, in particular chlorinated, hydrocarbons such as dichloromethane, chloroform or 1,2-dichloroethane. Further possible solvents are esters of aliphatic carboxylic acids with alkanols, for example ethyl acetate or Texanol®), ethers such as tert-butyl methyl ether, 1,4-dioxane and tetrahydrofuran and also dimethytformamide. In the case of sufficiently hydrophilic ligands, it is also possible to use alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, isobutanol, ketones such as acetone and methyl ethyl ketone, etc. Furthermore, “ionic liquids” can also be used as solvents. These are liquid salts, for example N,N′-dialkylimidazolium salts such as N-butyl-N′-methylimidazolium salts, tetraalkyl-ammonium salts such as tetra-n-butylammonium saltse, N-alkylpyridinium salts such as n-butylpyridinium salts, tetraalkylphosphonium salts such as trishexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium salts, e.g. the tetrafluoroborates, acetates, tetrachloroaluminates, hexafluorophosphates, chlorides and tosylates. It is also possible to use a starting material, product or by-product of the respective reaction as solvent.

As prochiral ethylenically unsaturated compounds for the process of the invention, it is in principle possible to use all prochiral compounds which comprise one or more ethylenically unsaturated carbon-carbon or carbon-heteroatom double bonds. These include prochiral olefins in general (hydroformylation, intermolecular hydroacylation, hydrocyanation, hydrosilylation, carbonylation, hydroamidation, hydroesterification, aminolysis, alcoholysis, cyclopropanation, hydroboration, Diels-Alder reaction, metathesis), unsubstituted and substituted aldehydes (intramolecular hydroacylation, aldol condensation, allylic alkylation), ketones (hydrogenation, hydrosilylation, aldol condensation, transfer hydrogenation, allylic alkylation) and imines (hydrogenation, hydrosilylation, transfer hydrogenation, Mannich reaction).

Suitable prochiral ethylenically unsaturated olefins are generally compounds of the formula

where R^(α) and R^(β) and/or R^(γ) and R^(δ) are radicals of different definitions. It is self-evident that to prepare chiral compounds according to the invention, the substrates reacted with the prochiral ethylenically unsaturated compound and sometimes also the stereo-selectivity in respect of the addition of a particular substituent onto a particular carbon atom of the C—C double bond are chosen so that at least one chiral carbon atom results.

Subject to the abovementioned condition, R^(α), R^(β), R^(γ) and R^(δ) are preferably selected independently from among hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, hetaryl, alkoxy, cycloalkoxy, heterocycloalkoxy, aryloxy, hetarylxy, hydroxy, thiol, polyalkylene oxide, polyalkylenimine, COOH, carboxylate, SO₃H, sulfonate, NE⁷E⁸, NE⁷E⁸E⁹⁺X⁻, halogen, nitro, acyl, acyloxy and cyano, where E⁷, E⁸ and E⁹ are identical or different radicals selected from among hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl and aryl and X⁻ is an anion equivalent,

where the alkyl radicals may bear 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or more substituents selected from among cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, hetaryl, alkoxy, cycloalkoxy, heterx cycloalkoxy, aryloxy, hetaryloxy, hydroxy, thiol, polyalkylene oxide, polyalkylenimine, COOH, carboxylate, SO₃H, sulfonate, NE¹⁰E¹¹, NE¹⁰E¹¹E¹²⁺X⁻, halogen, nitro, acyl, acyloxy and cyano, where E¹⁰, E¹¹ and E¹² are identical or different radicals selected from among hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl and aryl and X⁻ is an anion equivalent,

and the cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl and hetaryl radicals R^(α), R^(β), R^(γ) and R^(δ) each bear 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or more substituents selected from among alkyl and the substituents mentioned above for the alkyl radicals R^(α), R^(β), R^(γ) and R^(δ), or

two or more of the radicals R^(α), R^(β), R^(γ) and R^(δ) together with the C—C double bond to which they are bound form a monocyclic or polycyclic compound.

Suitable prochiral olefins are olefins which have at least 4 carbon atoms and terminal or internal double bonds and have a linear, branched or cyclic structure.

Suitable α-olefins are, for example 1-butene, 1-pentene, 1-hexene, 1-heptene, 1-octene, 1-nonene, 1-decene, 1-undecene, 1-dodecene, 1-octadecene etc.

Preferred linear (straight-chain) internal olefins are C₄-C₂₀-olefins such as 2-butene, 2-pentene, 2-hexene, 3-hexene, 2-heptene, 3-heptene, 2-octene, 3-octene, 4-octene etc.

Preferred branched, internal olefins are C₄-C₂₀-olefins such as 2-methyl-2-butene, 2-methyl-2-pentene, 3-methyl-2-pentene, branched, internal heptene mixtures, branched, internal octene mixtures, branched, internal nonene mixtures, branched, internal decene mixtures, branched, internal undecene mixtures, branched, internal dodecene mixtures, etc.

Further olefins suitable for the hydroformylation process are C₅-C₈-cycloalkenes such as cyclopentene, cyclohexene, cycloheptene, cyclooctene and their derivatives, e.g. their C₁-C₂₀-alkyl derivatives having from 1 to 5 alkyl substituents.

Olefins suitable for the hydroformylation process additionally include vinylaromatics such as styrene, α-methylstyrene, 4-isobutylstyrene, etc., 2-vinyl-6-methoxynaphthalene, 3-ethenylphenyl phenyl ketone, 4-ethenylphenyl 2-thienyl ketone, 4-ethenyl-2-fluorobiphenyl, 4-(1,3-dihydro-1-oxo-2H-isoindol-2-yl)styrene, 2-ethenyl-5-benzoylthiophene, 3-ethenylphenyl phenyl ether, propenylbenzene, 2-propenylphenol, isobutyl4-propenylbenzene, phenyl vinyl ether and cyclic enamides, e.g 2,3-dihydro-1,4-oxazines such as 2,3-dihydro4-tert-butoxycarbonyl-1,4-oxazine. Further olefins suitable for the hydroformylation process are a,-ethylenically unsaturated monocarboxylic and/or dicarboxylic acids, their esters, monoesters and amides, e.g. acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, crotonic acid, itaconic acid, methyl 3-pentenoate, methyl 4-pentenoate, methyl oleate, methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, unsaturated nitriles such as 3-pentenenitrile, 4-pentenenitrile, acrylonitrile, vinyl ethers such as vinyl methyl ether, vinyl ethyl ether, vinyl propyl ether, etc., vinyl chloride, allyl chloride, C₃-C₂₀-alkenols, -alkenediols and -alkadienols, e.g. allyl alcohol, hex-1-en4-ol, oct-1-en4-ol, 2,7-octadien-1-ol. Further suitable substrates are dienes or polyenes having isolated or conjugated double bonds. These include, for example, 1,3-butadiene, 1,4-pentadiene, 1,5-hexadiene, 1,6-heptadiene, 1,7-octadiene, 1,8-nonadiene, 1,9-decadiene, 1,10-undecadiene, 1,11-dodecadiene, 1,12-tridecadiene, 1,13-tetradecadiene, vinylcyclohexene, dicyclopentadiene, 1,5,9-cyclooctatriene and also homopolymers and copolymers of butadiene.

Further prochiral ethylenically unsaturated compounds which are important as synthetic building blocks are, for example, p-isobutylstyrene, 2-vinyl-6-methoxynaphthalene, 3-ethenylphenyl phenyl ketone, 4-ethenylphenyl 2-thienyl ketone, 4-ethenyl-2-fluorobiphenyl, 4-(1,3-dihydro-1-oxo-2H-isoindol-2-yl)styrene, 2-ethenyl-5- benzoylthiophene, 3-ethenylphenyl phenyl ether, propenylbenzene, 2-propenylphenol, isobutyl4-propenylbenzene, phenyl vinyl ether and cyclic enamides, e.g. 2,3-dihydro-1,4-oxazines such as 2,3-dihydro4-tert-butoxycarbonyl-1,4-oxazine. The abovementioned olefins can be used individually or in the form of mixtures.

In a preferred embodiment, the chiral catalysts of the invention and those used according to the invention are prepared in situ in the reactor used for the reaction. However, if desired, the catalysts of the invention can also be prepared separately and isolated by customary methods. To prepare the catalysts of the invention in situ, it is possible to react, for example, at least one ligand used according to the invention, a compound or complex of a transition metal, if appropriate at least one further additional ligand and, if appropriate, an activating agent in an inert solvent under the conditions of the respective reaction (e.g. under hydroformylation conditions, hydrocyanation conditions, etc.). Suitable activating agents are, for example, Bronsted acids, Lewis acids such as BF₃, AlCl₃, ZnCl₂, and Lewis bases.

Suitable catalyst precursors are transition metals, transition metal compounds and transition metal complexes quite generally.

Suitable rhodium compounds or complexes are, for example, rhodium(II) and rhodium(III) salts such as rhodium(III) chloride, rhodium(III) nitrate, rhodium(III) sulfate, potassium rhodium sulfate, rhodium(II) or rhodium(III) carboxylate, rhodium(III) and rhodium(III) acetate, rhodium(III) oxide, salts of rhodic(III) acid, trisammonium hexachlororhodate(III), etc. Also suitable are rhodium complexes such as Rh₄(CO)₁₂, dicarbonylrhodium acetylacetonate, acetylacetonatobisethylenerhodium(I), etc.

Likewise suitable are ruthenium salts or compounds. Suitable ruthenium salts are, for example, ruthenium(III) chloride, ruthenium(IV), ruthenium(VI) or ruthenium(VIII) oxide, alkali metal salts of ruthenium oxo acids such as K₂RuO₄ or KRuO₄ or complexes such as RuHCl(CO)(PPh₃)₃, (Ru(p-cymene)Cl)₂, (Ru(benzene)Cl)₂, (COD)Ru(methallyl)₂, Ru(acac)₃. It is also possible to use the carbonyls of ruthenium such as dodecacarbonyltriruthenium or octadecacarbonylhexaruthenium, or mixed forms in which CO is partly replaced by ligands of the formula PR₃, e.g. Ru(CO)₃(PPh₃)₂, in the process of the invention.

Suitable iron compounds are, for example, iron(II) acetate and iron(III) nitrate and also the carbonyl complexes of iron.

Suitable nickel compounds are nickel fluoride and nickel sulfate. A nickel complex suitable for preparing a nickel catalyst is, for example, bis(1,5-cyclooctadiene)nickel(0).

Also suitable are carbonyl complexes of iridium and osmium, osmium halides, osmium octoate, palladium hydrides and halides, platinic acid, iridium sulfate, etc.

The abovementioned and further suitable transition metal compounds and complexes are known in principle and are adequately described in the literature or they can be prepared by a person skilled in the art using methods analogous to those for preparing the known compounds.

In general, the metal concentration in the reaction medium is in a range from about 1 to 10 000 ppm. The molar ratio of monopnicogen ligand to transition metal is generally in a range from about 0.5:1 to 1000:1, preferably from 1:1 to 500:1.

The use of supported catalysts is also useful. For this purpose, the above-described catalysts can be immobilized in an appropriate way, e.g. by binding via functional groups suitable as anchor groups, adsorption, grafting, etc., on a suitable support, e.g. glass, silica gel, synthetic resins, polymers, etc. They are then also suitable for use as solid state catalysts.

In a first preferred embodiment, the process of the invention is a hydrogenation (1,2-H,H-addition). In this case, a prochiral compound comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond is reacted with hydrogen in the presence of a chiral catalyst as described above to form corresponding chiral compounds having a single bond. Prochiral olefins give chiral carbon-comprising compounds, prochiral ketones give chiral alcohols and prochiral imines give chiral amines.

In a further preferred embodiment the process of the invention is a reaction with carbon monoxide and hydrogen, hereinafter referred to as hydroformylation.

The hydroformylation can be carried out in the presence of one of the abovementioned solvents.

The molar ratio of mono(pseudo)pnicogen ligand to the metal of transition group VIII is generally in a range from about 1:1 to 1000:1, preferably from 2:1 to 500:1.

Preference is given to a process in which the hydroformylation catalyst is prepared in situ by reacting at least one ligand which can be used according to the invention, a compound or a complex of a transition metal and, if appropriate, an activating agent in an inert solvent under the hydroformylation conditions.

The transition metal is preferably a metal of transition group VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements, particularly preferably cobalt, ruthenium, iridium, rhodium or palladium. Particular preference is given to using rhodium.

The composition of the synthesis gas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen which is used in the process of the invention can vary within wide limits. The molar ratio of carbon monoxide to hydrogen is generally from about 5:95 to 70:30, preferably from about 40:60 to 60:40. Particular preference is given to using a molar ratio of carbon monoxide to hydrogen in the region of about 1:1.

The temperature in the hydroformylation reaction is generally in a range from about 20 to 180° C., preferably from about 50 to 150° C. The pressure is generally in a range from about 1 to 700 bar, preferably from 1 to 600 bar, in particular from 1 to 300 bar. The reaction pressure can be varied as a function of the activity of the novel hydroformylation catalyst used. In general, the novel catalysts based on phosphorus-comprising compounds permit a reaction in a low-pressure range, for instance in the range from 1 to 100 bar.

The hydroformylation catalysts used according to the invention and those of the invention can be separated from the product from the hydroformylation reaction by customary methods known to those skilled in the art and can generally be reused for the hydroformylation.

Asymmetric hydroformylation by the process of the invention proceeds with a high stereoselectivity. Advantageously, the catalysts of the invention and those used according to the invention generally also display a high regioselectivity. Furthermore, the catalysts generally have a high stability under the hydroformylation conditions, so that longer catalyst operating lives can generally be achieved when using them than when using catalysts based on conventional chelating ligands known from the prior art. Advantageously, the catalysts of the invention and those used according to the invention also display a high activity, so that the respective aldehydes or alcohols are generally obtained in good yields.

A further important 1-hydro-2-carbo addition is the reaction with hydrogen cyanide, hereinafter referred to as hydrocyanation.

The catalysts used for hydrocyanation also comprise complexes of a metal of transition group VIII, in particular cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, platinum, preferably nickel, palladium or platinum and very particularly preferably nickel. The preparation of the metal complexes can be carried out as described above. These same applies to the in situ preparation of the hydrocyanation catalysts of the invention. Hydrocyanation processes are described in J. March, Advanced Organic Chemistry, 4^(th) edition, pp. 811-812, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

In a further preferred embodiment, the 1-hydro-2-carbo addition is a reaction with carbon monoxide and at least one compound having a nucleophilic group, hereinafter referred to as carbonylation.

The carbonylation catalysts, too, comprise complexes of a metal of transition group VIII, preferably nickel, cobalt, iron, ruthenium, rhodium or palladium, in particular palladium. The preparation of the metal complexes can be carried out as described above. The same applies to the in situ preparation of the carbonylation catalysts of the invention.

The compounds having a nucleophilic group are preferably selected from among water, alcohols, thiols, carboxylic esters, primary and secondary amines.

A preferred carbonylation reaction is the conversion of olefins into carboxylic acids by means of carbon monoxide and water (hydrocarboxylation).

The carbonylation can be carried out in the presence of activating agents. Suitable activating agents are, for example, Brönsted acids, Lewis acids, e.g. BF₃, AlCl₃, ZnCl₂, and Lewis bases.

A further important 1,2-addition is hydroacylation. In asymmetric intramolecular hydroacylation, unsaturated aldehydes are converted into optically active cyclic ketones. In the case of asymmetric intermolecular hydroacylation, a prochiral olefin is reacted with an acyl halide in the presence of a chiral catalyst as described above to form a chiral ketone. Suitable hydroacylation processes are described in J. March, Advanced Organic Chemistry, 4^(th) edition, p. 811, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

A further important 1,2-addition is hydroamidation. Here, a prochiral compound comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond is reacted with carbon monoxide and ammonia or a primary or secondary amine in the presence of a chiral catalyst as described above to form a chiral amide.

A further important 1,2-addition is hydroesterification. Here, a prochiral compound comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond is reacted with carbon monoxide and an alcohol in the presence of a chiral catalyst as described above to form a chiral ester.

A further important 1,2-addition is hydroboration. Here, a prochiral compound comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond is reacted with borane or a source of borane in the presence of a chiral catalyst as described above to form a chiral trialkylborane which can be oxidized to a primary alcohol (e.g. using NaOH/H₂O₂) or to a carboxylic acid. Suitable hydroboration processes are described in J. March, Advanced Organic Chemistry, 4^(th) edition, pp. 783-789, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

A further important 1,2-addition is hydrosilylation. Here, a prochiral compound comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond is reacted with a silane in the presence of a chiral catalyst as described above to form a chiral compound functionalized with silyl groups. Prochiral olefins result in chiral alkanes functionalized with silyl groups. Prochiral ketones result in chiral silyl ethers or alcohols. In the hydrosilylation catalysts, the transition metal is preferably selected from among Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru and Ir. Here, it can be advantageous to use combinations or mixtures of one of the abovementioned catalysts with further catalysts. Suitable additional catalysts include, for example, platinum in finely divided form (“platinum black”), platinum chloride and platinum complexes such as hexachloroplatinic acid or divinyldisiloxane-platinum complexes, e.g. tetramethyldivinyldisiloxane-platinum complexes. Suitable rhodium catalysts are, for example, RhCl(P(C₆H₅)₃)₃ and RhCl₃. Also suitable are RuCl₃ and IrCl₃. Further suitable catalysts are Lewis acids such as AlCl₃ or TiCl₄ and also peroxides.

Suitable silanes are, for example, halogenated silanes such as trichlorosilane, methyldichlorosilane, dimethylchlorosilane and trimethylsiloxydichlorosilane; alkoxysilanes such as trimethoxysilane, triethoxysilane, methyidimethoxysilane, phenyidimethoxysilane, 1,3,3,5,5,7,7-heptamethyl-1,1-dimethoxytetrasiloxane and also acyloxysilanes.

The reaction temperature in the silylation is preferably in a range from 0 to 140° C., particularly preferably from 40 to 120° C. The reaction is usually carried out under atmospheric pressure, but can also be carried out at superatmospheric pressures, e.g. in the range from about 1.5 to 20 bar, or subatmospheric pressures, e.g. from 200 to 600 mbar.

The reaction can be carried out without solvent or in the presence of a suitable solvent. Preferred solvents are, for example, toluene, tetrahydrofuran and chloroform.

A further important 1,2-addition is aminolysis (hydroamination). Here, a prochiral compound comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond is reacted with ammonia or a primary or secondary amine in the presence of a chiral catalyst as described above to form a chiral primary, secondary or tertiary amine. Suitable hydroamination processes are described in J. March, Advanced Organic Chemistry, 4^(th) edition, pp. 768-770, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

A further important 1,2-addition is alcoholysis (hydro-alkoxy-addition). Here, a prochiral compound comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond is reacted with an alcohol in the presence of a chiral catalyst as described above to form a chiral ether. Suitable alcoholysis processes are described in J. March, Advanced Organic Chemistry, 4^(th) edition, pp. 763-764, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

A further important reaction is isomerization. Here, a prochiral compound comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond is converted in the presence of a chiral catalyst as described above into a chiral compound.

A further important reaction is cyclopropanation. Here, a prochiral compound comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond is reacted with a diazo compound in the presence of a chiral catalyst as described above to form a chiral cyclopropane.

A further important reaction is metathesis. Here, a prochiral compound comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond is reacted with a further olefin in the presence of a chiral catalyst as described above to form a chiral hydrocarbon.

A further important reaction is aldol condensation. Here, a prochiral ketone or aldehyde is reacted with a silylenol ether in the presence of a chiral catalyst as described above to form a chiral aldol.

A further important reaction is allylic alkylation. Here, a prochiral ketone or aldehyde is reacted with an allylic alkylating agent in the presence of a chiral catalyst as described above to form a chiral hydrocarbon.

A further important reaction is [4+2]-cycloaddition. Here, a diene is reacted with a dienophile, with at least one of these compounds being prochiral, in the presence of a chiral catalyst as described above to form a chiral cyclohexene compound.

The invention further provides for the use of catalysts comprising at least one complex of a metal of transition group VIII with at least one ligand as described above for hydroformylation, hydrocyanation, carbonylation, hydroacylation, hydroamidation, hydroesterification, hydrosilylation, hydroboration, hydrogenation, aminolysis, alcoholysis, isomerization, metathesis, cyclopropanation or [4+2]-cycloaddition.

The process of the invention is suitable for preparing many useful optically active compounds. The process stereoselectively generates a chiral center. Examples of optically active compounds which can be prepared by the process of the invention are substituted and unsubstituted alcohols or phenols, amines, amides, esters, carboxylic acids or anhydrides, ketones, olefins, aldehydes, nitriles and hydrocarbons. Optically active aldehydes which are preferably prepared by the asymmetric hydroformylation process of the invention comprise, for example, S-2-(p-isobutylphenyl)propionaldehyde, S-2-(6-methoxynaphthyl)propionaldehyde, S-2-(3-benzoylphenyl)propionaldehyde, S-2-(p-thienoylphenyl)propionaldehyde, S-2-(3-fluoro-4-phenyl)phenylpropionaldehyde, S-2-[4-(1,3-dihydro-I-oxo-2H-isoindol-2-yl)phenyl]propionaldehyde, S-2-(2-methylacetaldehyde)-5-benzoylthiophene, etc. Further optically active compounds which can be prepared by the process of the invention (including possible formation of a derivative) are described in Kirk-Othmer, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Third Edition, 1984, and The Merck Index, An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs and Biologicals, Eleventh Edition, 1989, which are hereby incorporated by reference.

The process of the invention makes it possible to prepare optically active products with high enantioselectivity and, if necessary, regioselectivity, e.g. in hydroformylation. Enantiomeric excesses (ee) of at least 50%, preferably at least 75% and particularly preferably at least 90% can be achieved.

The products obtained are isolated by customary methods known to those skilled in the art. These include, for example, solvent extraction, crystallization, distillation, evaporation, e.g. in a wiped film evaporator or falling film evaporator, etc.

The optically active compounds obtained by the process of the invention can be subjected to one or more subsequent reaction(s). Such processes are known to those skilled in the art. They include, for example, the esterification of alcohols, the oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes, N-alkylation of amides, addition of aldehyde onto amides, nitrile reduction, acylation of ketones with esters, acylation of amines, etc. For example, optically active aldehydes obtained by asymmetric hydroformylation according to the invention can be subjected to oxidation to form carboxylic acids, reduction to form alcohols, aldol condensation to form α,β-unsaturated compounds, reductive amination to form amines, amination to form imines, etc.

A preferred derivative-forming reaction comprises oxidation of an aldehyde prepared by the asymmetric hydroformylation process of the invention to form the corresponding optically active carboxylic acid. Many pharmaceutically important compounds such as S-ibuprofen, S-naproxen, S-ketoprofen, S-suprofen, S-fluorobiprofen, S-indoprofen, S-tiaprofenic acid, etc, can be prepared in this way.

Olefin starting materials, aldehyde intermediates and end products are listed in the following table for some preferred derivative-forming reactions: Olefin Aldehyde Product p-Isobutylstyrene S-2-(p-Isobutylphenyl)propionaldehyde S-Ibuprofen 2-Vinyl-6-methoxynaphthalene S-2-(6-Methoxynaphthyl)propionaldehyde S-Naproxen 3-Ethenylphenyl phenyl ketone S-2-(3-Benzoylphenyl)propionaldehyde S-Ketoprofen 4-Ethenylphenyl 2-thienyl ketone S-2-(p-Thienoylphenyl)propionaldehyde S-Suprofen 4-Ethenyl-2-fluorobiphenyl S-2-(3-Fluoro-4-phenyl)phenylpropionaldehyde S-Fluorobiprofen 1,3-Dihydro-1-oxo-2H-isoindol- S-2-(4-(1,3-Dihydro 1-oxo-2H-isoindol- S-Indoprofen 2-yl)styrene 2-yl)phenyl)-propionaldehyde 2-Ethenyl-5-benzoylthiophene S-2-(2-Methylacetaldehyd)-5-benzoylthiophene S-Tiaprofenic acid 3-Ethenylphenyl phenyl ether S-2-(3-Phenoxy)propionaldehyde S-Fenoprofen Propenylbenzene S-2-Phenylbutyraldehyde S-Phenetamide, S-Butetamate Isobutyl-4-propenylbenzene S-2-(4-Isobutylphenyl)butyraldehyde S-Butibufen Phenyl vinyl ether S-2-Phenoxypropionaldehyde Pheneticillin Vinyl chloride S-2-Chloropropionaldehyde S-2-Chloropropionic acid 2-Vinyl-6-methoxynaphthalene S-2-(6-Methoxynaphthyl)propionaldehyde S-Naproxol 2-Vinyl-6-methoxynaphthalene S-2-(6-Methoxynaphthyl)propionaldehyde S-Naproxen (Na salt) 5-(4-Hydroxy)benzoyl-3H-pyrrolizine 5-(4-Hydroxy)benzoyl-1-formyl-2,3- Ketorolac or derivatives dihydropyrrolizine tert-Butyl 2,3-dihydro[1,4]oxazine- tert-Butyl 3-formylmorpholine-4-carboxylate tert-Butyl 3-hydroxymethylmorpholine- 4-carboxylate 4-carboxylate 2,3-Dihydro[1,4]oxazine-4-carbaldehyde Morpholine-3,4-dicarbaldehyde 3-Hydroxymethylmorpholine-4-carbaldehyde 1-Phenylvinyl acetate 1-phenylvinyl acetate 3-Methylamino-1-phenylpropyl acetate

EXAMPLES Example 1

Preparation of 6-(1-naphthylphenylphosphino)-2-pivaloylaminopyridine (6-NPPAP)

n-Butyllithium (8.7 ml, 14.0 mmol, 1.6 M solution in hexane, 2 eq) was added to a solution of 2-bromo-6-N-pivaloylaminopyridine (1.80 g, 7.0 mmol) in tetrahydrofuran (30 ml) at −100° C. over a period of 20 minutes and the reaction solution was stirred at this temperature for 1 hour. After addition of chloro(1-naphthyl)phenylphosphine (1.89 g, 7.0 mmol, 1 eq, prepared as described by G. Wittig et al., in Justus Liebig Ann. Chem. 1971, 17-26), the reaction solution was warmed to room temperature over a period of 12 hours. The reaction was stopped by addition of saturated NaHCO₃ solution (30 ml), the, aqueous phase was separated off and extracted with ethyl acetate (3×20 ml). The combined organic phases were dried over MgSO₄ and the solvent was removed on a rotary evaporator. The crude product was purified by column chromatography using silica gel as stationary phase and a cyclohexane/ethyl acetate mixture (10:1).

The title compound (1.50 g, 3.6 mmol, 52%) could be isolated in the form of a white solid.

Mp: 55° C.

¹H-NMR (499.873 MHz, C₆D₆): δ =0.86 (s, 9H, CH₃), 6.66 (d, J=7.5 Hz, 1H, H5), 6.93 (td, J=7.5 Hz, J=1.9 Hz, 1H, H4), 7.04-7.05 (m, 3H, Ar—H), 7.11 (t, J=7.7 Hz, 1H, Ar—H), 7.17-7.19 (m, 2H, Ar—H), 7.27-7.30 (m, 1H, Ar—-H), 7.43-7.47 (m, 2H, Ar—H), 7.57-7.60 (m, 2H, Ar—H), 7.92 (br, 1H, NH), 8.51 (d, J=7.5 Hz, 1H, H3), 8.75-8.77 (m, 1H, Ar—H).

¹³C-NMR (125.709 MHz, C₆D₆): δ =27.1 (s, 3C, C(CH₃)₃), 39.5 (s, 1C, C(CH₃)₃), 112.8 (s, 1C, C3), 124.5 (d, J_(C,P)=11.8 Hz, 1C, C5), 126.0 (d, J_(C,P)=1.8 Hz, 1C, Ar—C), 126.4 (d, J_(C,P)=1.5 Hz, 1C, Ar—C), 126.6 (s, 1C, Ar—C), 126.7 (d, J_(C,P)=18.1 Hz, 1C, Ar—C), 128.9 (d, J_(C,P)=7.3 Hz, 2C, C3″), 129.0 (s, 1C, Ar—C), 129.3 (s, 1C, Ar—C), 130.0 (s, 1C, Ar—C), 132.9 (d, J_(C,P)=1.2 Hz, 1.2Hz, 1C, C4), 134.0 (d, J_(C,P)=4.2 Hz, 1C, C9′), 134.4 (d, J_(C,P)=15.1 Hz, 1C, C1′ or C1″), 135.1 (d, J_(C,P)=20.6 Hz, 2C, C2′), 136.0 (d, J_(C,P)=10.9 Hz, 1C, C1′ or C1″), 136.33 (d, J_(C,P)=22.1 Hz, 1C, C10′), 138.2 (d, J_(C,P)=1.5 Hz, 1C, Ar—C), 152.8 (d, J_(C,P)=15.1 Hz, 1C, C2 or C6), 161.9 (d, J_(C,P)=6.4 Hz, 1C, C2 or C6), 176.5 (s, 1C, C═O).

³¹P-NMR (121.468 MHz, CDCl₃): δ =−13.72 (s) Chiral HPLC (AD-H, n-heptane/EtOH 70:30, RT, 0.8 ml/min, 295 nm, RT) (−)-enantiomer: 5.7 min [α]_(D) = −38° (c = 0.30, CHCl₃, 21° C.) (+)-enantiomer: 6.8 min [α]_(D) = +37° (c = 0.52, CHCl₃, 21° C.)

The resolution of 200 mg of rac-6-NPPAP was carried out by means of preparative HPLC (Chiralpak AD-H, n-heptane/EtOH 70:30, RT, 11.0 m/min, 295 nm), with the individual enantiomers being obtained in a purity of ee >99%.

Example 2

Preparation of a heterodimeric Pt complex

A solution of 3-diphenylphosphino-2H-isoquinolin-1-one (3-DPICone) (12.6 mg, 3.82×10⁻² mmol, 1 eq) and 6-NPPAP from example 1 (14.4 mg, 3.28×10² mmol, 1 eq) in CDCl₃ (0.4 ml) was added to a solution of PtCl₂(1,5-cyclooctadiene) (14.3 mg, 3.82×10⁻² mmol, 1 eq) in CDCl₃ (0.4 ml). The formation of the heteroleptic complex was observed by means of low-temperature NMR spectroscopy.

³¹P-NMR 294K (121.468 MHz, CDCl₃): δ =6.36 (bd, ¹J_(Pt-P)=3521 Hz), 8.02 (bd, ¹J_(Pt-P)=3756 Hz).

¹H-NMR 240K (499.873 MHz, CDCl₃): δ =1.11 (s, 9H, CH₃), 6.69-6.74 (m, 2H, Ar—H), 6.88 (t, J=7.2 Hz, 1H, Ar—H), 7.17-7.27 (m, 7H, Ar—H), 7.34-7.48 (m, 5H, Ar—H), 7.55-7.72 (m, 6H, Ar—H), 7.79 (d, J=8.0 Hz, 1 H), 7.81 (d, J=7.9 Hz, 1H), 7.87-7.89 (br, 1H, Ar—H), 7.98 (d, J=7.7 Hz, 1H), 8.04-8.08 (m, 3H, Ar—H), 8.24 (t, J=8.4 Hz, 2H, Ar—H), 10.44 (s, 1H, NH), 11.53 (d, J=5.8 Hz, NH).

³¹P-NMR 240K (121.468 MHz, CDCl₃,): δ =6.36 (dd, ¹J_(Pt-P)=3515 Hz, ²J_(P-P)=13.2 Hz), 7.26 (dd, ¹J_(P-P)=3753 Hz, ²J_(P-P)=13.2 Hz).

Example 3

Asymmetric hydrogenation of methyl 2-acetamidoacrylate

A mixture of [Rh(COD)₂]BF₄ (2 mg, 5.0×10⁻³ mmol, 1.0 mol %), 3-DPICone (2.1 mg, 6.4×10⁻³ mmol, 1.3 mol %) and (+)-6-NPPAP from example 1 (2.7 mg, 6.5×10⁻³ mmol, 1.3 mol %) was dissolved in dry and degassed CH₂Cl₂ (5 ml) and stirred at room temperature for 10 minutes. The catalyst solution was admixed with methyl 2-acetamidoacrylate (71.6 mg, 0.5 mmol) and the solution was transferred to a steel autoclave. The autoclave was flushed five times with hydrogen and subsequently brought to a pressure of 5 bar at room temperature for 48 hours.

After the reaction was complete, the conversion was determined by means of ¹H-NMR spectroscopy and the enantiomeric excess was determined by means of chiral GC (Hydrodex β-TBDAc).

The conversion was quantitative, and the enantiomeric excess was 43% (R).

Example 4

Preparation of a chiral phosphonite derivative of 6-DPPAP

a) Synthesis of 6-(bis(diethylamino)phosphino)-2-pivaloylaminopyridine

2-Bromo-6-N-pivaloylaminopyridine (1.98 g, 7.7 mmol, 1 eq) was dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (50 ml). At −100° C., n-butyllithium (10.0 ml, 1.54 M in hexane, 15.4 mmol, 2 eq) was slowly added dropwise. The yellow solution was stirred at −100° C. for 90 minutes. Bis(diethylamino)chlorophosphane, prepared as described by J. Sakai, W. B. Schweizer, D. Seebach in Helv. Chim. Acta 1993, 76, 2654-2665 (1.62 g, 7.7 mmol, 1 eq), was then added quickly. The reaction mixture was subsequently warmed to room temperature overnight. The solvent was taken off under reduced pressure, the residue was taken up in diethyl ether (30 ml) and admixed with degassed water (0.14 g, 0.14 ml, 7.8 mmol, 1 eq). The suspension formed was filtered through Celite and magnesium sulfate under a protective gas atmosphere. The solvent was removed at reduced pressure. The crude product was purified by means of bulb tube distillation at 200° C. (10⁻³ mbar). The title compound was obtained as a viscous, colorless liquid (1.41 g, 4.0 mmol, 52%).

¹H-NMR (300.064 MHz, C₆D₆): δ =1.05 (s, 9H, C(CH)₃), 1.10 (t, 12H, J=7.0 Hz, CH₂CH₃), 3.07 (m, 8H, GH₂CH₃), 7.25 (d, 2H, J=3.1 Hz, Ar—H), 8.01 (b, 1H, NH), 8.48 (dd, 1H, J=5.0 Hz, J=4.0 Hz, Ar—H).

¹³C-NMR (100.620 MHz, C₆D₆): δ =14.9 (s, 3C, C(CH)₃), 27.3 (s, 4C, CH₂CH₃), 39.6 (s, 1C, C(CH)₃), 43.9 (d, 4C, J_(P,C)=17.4 Hz, CH₂CH₃), 111.6 (d, 1C, J_(P,C)=2.9 Hz, Ar—CH), 122.8 (d, 1C, J_(P,C)=21.8 Hz, C5), 137.6 (s, 1C, Ar—CH), 152.4 (d, 1C, J_(P,C)=7.3 Hz, Ar—C), 164.8 (d, 1C, J_(P,C)=13.1 Hz, Ar—C), 176.1 (s, 1C, C═O).

³¹P-NMR (121.468 MHz, C₆D₆): δ =94.3 (s)

b) Synthesis of 6-(3,5-dioxa-4-phosphacyclohepta[2,1-a;3,4-a′]dinaphthalen-4-yl)-2-pivaloylaminopyridine

N-(6-(bis(diethylamino)phosphino)pyridin-2-yl)pivalamide (0.292 g, 0.60 mmol, 1 eq) was dissolved in toluene (12 ml). (S)-BINOL (0.172 g, 0.60 mmol, 1 eq) was subsequently added and the reaction mixture was refluxed for 3 hours. The solvent was removed under reduced pressure. The title compound could be obtained in the form of a white solid (0.276 g, 0.56 mmol, 93%).

¹H-NMR (300.064 MHz, CDCl₃): δ =1.37 (s, 9H, C(CH)₃), 6.71 (d, 1H, J=8.8 Hz, Ar—H), 6.98 (d, 1H, J=7.5 Hz, Ar—H), 7.15-7.47 (m, 7H, Ar—H), 7.62 (pt, 2H, J=8.9 Hz, Ar—H), 7.83 (d, 1H, J=8.1 Hz, Ar—H), 7.96 (d, 1H, J=8.0 Hz, Ar—H), 8.04 (d, 1H, J=8.8 Hz, Ar—H), 8.16 (b, 1H, NH), 8.27 (d, 1H, J=8.5 Hz, Ar—H).

³¹P-NMR (121.468 MHz, CDCl₃): δ =167.2 (s)

Example 5

Preparation of a heterodimeric Pt complex

A solution of 3-DPICone (8.8 mg, 2.67×10⁻² mmol, 1 eq) and aminopyridine ligand (13.2 mg, 2.67×10⁻² mmol, 1 eq) in CDCl₃ (0.4 ml) was added to a solution of PtCl₂(1,5-cyclooctadiene) (10.0 mg, 2.67×10⁻² mmol, 1 eq) in CDCl₃ (0.4 ml). The formation of the heteroleptic complex was observed by means of NMR spectroscopy.

³¹P-NMR (121.468 MHz, CDCl₃): δ =17.2 (dd, ¹J_(Pt-P)=3590 Hz, ²J_(P-P)=13.4 Hz), 108.0 (d, ²J_(P-P)=13.4 Hz). 

1. A process for preparing chiral compounds by reacting a prochiral compound comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond with a substrate in the presence of a chiral catalyst comprising at least one transition metal complex with ligands which each have a pnicogen-comprising or pseudopnicogen-comprising group and at least one functional group capable of forming intermolecular, noncovalent bonds, with the complex comprising ligands dimerized via intermolecular noncovalent bonds.
 2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the ligands contain at least one pnicogen atom selected from among N, P, As and Sb.
 3. The process according to claim 2, wherein the ligands contain at least one nitrogen atom in the form of an imine.
 4. The process according to claim 1 wherein the ligands contain at least one carbene carbon atom as pseudopnicogen atom.
 5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the atoms of the pnicogen-comprising or pseudopnicogen-comprising groups of the dimerized ligands which coordinate to the transition metal is not more than 5 Å.
 6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the ligands which are dimerized via intermolecular noncovalent bonds are selected from among ligand/ligand pairs of the formula I:

where the atoms Pn are independently selected pnicogen atoms or coordinating atoms of pseudopnicogen-comprising groups, A and B are radicals of mutually complementary functional groups between which there is a noncovalent interaction, R¹ is a singly or doubly bonded organyl radical, R² is a singly bonded organyl radical, A is, depending on the valence of the pnicogen atom or coordinating atom of the pseudopnicogen-comprising groups and the number of coordination sites occupied by the radical R¹, 0 or 1, where the pnicogen atom or coordinating atom of the pseudopnicogen-comprising group can, together with at least two of the radicals R¹, R² and A or B bound thereto, also be part of a ring system.
 7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the pnicogen- or pseudopnicogen-comprising group is a carbene group and the carbene group is part of a ring system of the formula I.1

where G¹ is NR^(B) or CR^(C)R^(D), where R^(B), R^(C) and R^(D) are each, independently of one another, hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl, where R^(C) or R^(D) may also be one bond equivalent of a double bond, Q¹ is a divalent bridging group having from 1 to 5 atoms between the flanking bonds, R^(A) is hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl, where one of the radicals R^(A), R^(B), R^(C), R^(D) or a radical on the group Q¹ is a functional group capable of forming intermolecular, noncovalent bonds or comprises such a group.
 8. The process according to claim 7, where the compounds of the formula I.1 are selected from among compounds of the formulae I.1a to I.1d

where R^(A), R^(B), R^(C), R^(E) and R^(F) are each, independently of one another, hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl, where one of these radicals is a functional group capable of forming intermolecular, noncovalent bonds or comprises such a group.
 9. The process according to claim 1, wherein the pnicogen- or pseudopnicogen-comprising group is an imine group which is part of a ring system of the formula I.2

where Q² is a divalent bridging group having from 1 to 5 atoms between the flanking bonds, and R^(G), R^(H) and R^(I) are each, independently of one another, hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl, where one of the radicals R^(G), R^(H), R^(I)or a radical on the group Q² is a functional group capable of forming intermolecular, noncovalent bonds or comprises such a group.
 10. The process according to claim 9, wherein the compounds of the formula I.2 are selected from among cyclic imines of the formulae I.2a and I.2b

where G² is O or NR^(K), where R^(K) is hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl, R^(G), R^(H), R^(I) and R^(L) are each, independently of one another, hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl, where one of the radicals R^(G), R^(H), R^(I), R^(K) and R^(L) is a functional group capable of forming intermolecular, noncovalent bonds or comprises such a group.
 11. The process according to claim 1, wherein the pnicogen- or pseudopnicogen-comprising group is selected from among groups of the formula I.3

where Pn is N, P, As or Sb, preferably P, R¹ and R² are each, independently of one another, alkyl, alkoxy, cycloalkyl, cycloalkoxy, heterocycloalkyl, heterocycloalkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, hetaryl or hetaryloxy or R¹ and R² together with the phosphorus atom to which they are bound form a 4- to 8-membered heterocycle which may additionally be fused with one, two or three cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl groups, where the heterocycle and, if present, the fused-on groups may each bear, independently of one another, one, two, three or four substituents selected from among alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, hetaryl, COOR^(c), COO⁻M⁺, SO₃R^(c), SO₃ ⁻M⁺, PO₃(R^(c))(R^(d)), (PO₃)²⁻(M⁺)₂, NE⁴E⁵, (NE4E⁵E⁶)⁺X⁻, OR^(e), SR^(e), (CHR^(f)CH₂O)_(y)R^(e), (CH₂O)_(y)R^(e), (CH₂CH₂NE⁴)_(y)R^(e), halogen, nitro, acyl and cyano, where R^(c)and R^(d) are identical or different radicals selected from among hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl and hetaryl, R^(e), E⁴, E⁵, E⁶ are identical or different radicals selected from among hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl and hetaryl, R^(f) is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl, M⁺ is a cation equivalent, X⁻ is an anion equivalent and y is an integer from 1 to
 240. 12. The process according to claim 1, wherein the functional groups capable of forming intermolecular noncovalent bonds are selected from among hydroxyl, primary, secondary and tertiary amino, thiol, keto, thioketone, imine, carboxylic ester, carboxamide, amidine, urethane, urea, sulfoxide, sulfoximine, sulfonamide and sulfonic ester groups.
 13. The process according to claim 1, wherein the functional groups capable of forming intermolecular noncovalent bonds are selected from among groups which are capable of tautomerism.
 14. The process according to claim 1, wherein the ligands comprise at least one structural element of the formula I.a or I.b

or tautomers thereof, where Pn, R¹, R² and a are as defined in claim 6, R³ is hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, cycloalkyl, cycloalkoxy, heterocycloalkyl, heterocycloalkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, hetaryl or hetaryloxy, X is a divalent bridging group having from 1 to 5 bridge atoms between the flanking bonds, Y is O, S or NR⁴, where R⁴ is hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl, where two or more of the radicals X and R¹ to R⁴ together with the structural element of the formula I.a or I.b to which they are bound may form a monocyclic or polycyclic compound.
 15. The process according to claim 13, wherein, in the ligands I.a or I.b, R¹ and R² together with the phosphorus atom to which they are bound form a 5- to 8-membered heterocycle which may additionally be fused with one, two or three cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl groups, where the heterocycle and, if present, the fused-on groups may each bear, independently of one another, one, two, three or four substituents selected from among alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, hetaryl, COOR^(c), COO⁻M⁺, SO₃R^(c), SO₃ ⁻M⁺, PO₃(R^(c))(R^(d)), (PO₃)²⁻(M⁺)₂, NE⁴E⁵, (NE⁴E⁵E⁶) ⁺X⁻, OR^(e), SR^(e), (CHR^(f)CH₂O)_(y)R^(e), (CH₂NE⁴)_(y)R^(e), (CH₂CH₂NE⁴)_(y)R^(e), halogen, nitro, acyl and cyano, where R^(c) and R^(d) are identical or different radicals selected from among alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl and hetaryl, R^(e), E⁴, E⁵, E⁶ are identical or different radicals selected from among hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, acyl, aryl and hetaryl, R^(f) is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl, M⁺ is a cation equivalent, X⁻ is an anion equivalent and y is an integer from 1 to
 240. 16. The process according to claim 15, wherein the heterocycle is chiral.
 17. The process according to claim 1, wherein the ligands are selected from among compounds of the formulae I.A to I.C

and the tautomers thereof, where one of the radicals R⁵ to R⁹ is a pnicogen- or pseudopnicogen-comprising group, the radicals R⁵ to R⁹ which are not a pnicogen- or pseudopnicogen-comprising group are each, independently of one another, hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, hetaryl, WCOOR^(o), WCOO⁻M⁺, W(SO₃)R^(o), W(SO₃)⁻M⁺, WPO₃(R^(o))(R^(p)), W(PO₃)²⁻(M⁺)₂, WNE¹E², W(NE¹E²E³)⁺X⁻, WOR^(q), WSR^(q), (CH^(r)CH₂O)_(x)R^(q), (CH₂NE¹)_(x)R^(q), (CH₂CH₂NE¹)_(x)R^(q), halogen, nitro, acyl or cyano, where W is a single bond, a heteroatom, a heteroatom-comprising group or a divalent bridging group having from 1 to 20 bridge atoms, R^(o) and R^(p) are identical or different radicals selected from among alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl and hetaryl, R^(q), E¹, E², E³ are identical or different radicals selected from among hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, acyl, aryl and hetaryl, R^(r) is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl, M⁺ is a cation equivalent, X⁻ is an anion equivalent and x is an integer from 1 to 240, where two vicinal radicals R⁵ to R⁹ may also form a fused ring system, and R^(a) and R^(b) are each hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl, and R^(a) can also be acyl.
 18. The process according to claim 17, wherein the radicals R⁵ to R⁹ which are a pnicogen- or pseudopnicogen-comprising group are each a group of the formula —W′—PnR¹R², where Pn is a pnicogen atom or pseudopnicogen atom, W′ is a single bond, a heteroatom, a heteroatom-comprising group or a divalent bridging group having from 1 to 4 bridge atoms between the flanking bonds, R¹ is a singly or doubly bonded organyl radical, R² is a singly bonded organyl radical.
 19. A process for preparing chiral compounds by reacting a prochiral compound comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond with a substrate in the presence of a chiral catalyst comprising at least one transition metal complex with ligands selected from among compounds of the formulae I.A to I.C

and the tautomers thereof, where one of the radicals R⁵ to R⁹ is a pnicogen- or pseudopnicogen-comprising group, the radicals R⁵ to R⁹ which are not a pnicogen- or pseudopnicogen-comprising group are each, independently of one another, hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, hetaryl, WCOOR^(o), WCOO⁻M⁺, W(SO₃)R^(o), W(SO₃)⁻M⁺, WPO₃(R^(o)) (R^(p)), W(PO₃)²⁻(M⁺)₂, WNE¹E², W(NE¹E²E³)⁺X⁻, WOR^(q), WSR^(q), (CH^(r)CH₂O)_(x)R^(q)(CH₂NE¹)_(x)R^(q), (CH₂CH₂NE¹)_(x)R^(q), halogen, nitro, acyl or cyano, where W is a single bond, a heteroatom, a heteroatom-comprising group or a divalent bridging group having from 1 to 20 bridge atoms, R^(o) and R^(p) are identical or different radicals selected from among alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl and hetaryl, R^(q), E¹, E², E³ are identical or different radicals selected from among hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, acyl, aryl and hetaryl, R^(r) is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl, M⁺ is a cation equivalent, X⁻ is an anion equivalent and x is an integer from 1 to 240, where two vicinal radicals R⁵ to R⁹ may also form a fused ring system, and R^(a) and R^(b) are each hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl, and R^(a) can also be acyl.
 20. The process according to claim 17, wherein the ligands are selected from among compounds of the formulae I.i to I.iii

and the tautomers thereof, where b is 0 or 1, Pn is a pnicogen- or pseudopnicogen-comprising group, R¹ and R² are defined as in claim 13 or 14, R⁶ to R⁹ are each, independently of one another, hydrogen, C₁-C₄-alkyl, C₁-C₄-alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, halogen, C₁-C₄-alkoxycarbonyl or carboxylate, where two vicinal radicals R⁶ to R⁹ may also form a fused ring system, and R^(a) and R^(b) are each hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, and R^(a) can also be acyl.
 21. The process according to claim 1, wherein the prochiral compound is selected from among olefins, aldehydes, ketonen and imines.
 22. The process according to claim 1 which is a hydrogenation, hydroformylation, hydrocyanation, carbonylation, hydroacylation, hydroamidation, hydroesterification, hydrosilylation, hydroboration, aminolysis, alcoholysis, isomerization, metathesis, cyclopropanation, aldol condensation, allylic alkylation or [4+2]-cycloaddition.
 23. The process according to claim 1 which is a 1,2-addition, preferably a 1-hydro-2-carbo addition.
 24. The process according to claim 1 which is a hydroformylation.
 25. The process according to claim 1 which is a hydrogenation.
 26. The ligand as defined in claim
 1. 27. The catalyst as defined in claim
 1. 28. The use of a catalyst according to claim 27 for hydrogenation, hydroformylation, hydrocyanation, carbonylation, hydroacylation, hydroamidation, hydroesterification, hydrosilylation, hydroboration, aminolysis, alcoholysis, isomerization, metathesis, cyclopropanation, aldol condensation, allylic alkylation or [4+2] -cycloaddition. 